Chris is a short form of various names, such as Christopher, Christian, Christine, Christina, and others. As such, it functions as both feminine and masculine given names, the masculine usage being more frequent. Despite the fact that it started to be given as a first name on its own, in most cases it still functions as a nickname, mainly for the name Christopher, which originates in Greek and means “bearing Christ”. In English-speaking countries, Christopher has been used since the 15th century, and it was borne by several kings and rulers. The popularity of the name has been on the rise since the 1940s and currently it is one of the most popular masculine given names in the US.